Leaf feed for stemming machines



Feb. 26, 1935. RIE. RUNDELL .1,992,773

LEAF FEED FOR STEMMING MACHINES Filed OCI). 28, 1935 3 Sheets-Sheet l Ongi ,l

E--r-r :5f ,j W ik..

INVENTOR Feb. 26, 1935.

R. E. RUNDELL LEAF1 FEED FOR STEMMING MACHINES Filed Oct. 28, 1933 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 TToRNEY Feb. 26, 1935. R, E. RUNDELI.

LEAF FEED FOR STEMMING MACHINES Filed Oct. 28, 1935 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Al IORNEY Patented Feb. ze, 1935 y RupertE. Rundell, Rockville Centre, N. Y.,..a.s

signor, by mesne assignments, tocAmericanV y Machine & Foundry Company, a corporation'k of New J erseyV Application october 2s, 193e, serial-N. 695,695

s claims. (c1. 13T-57) This invention relates to leaf feeds for tobacco stemming machines and consists in certain im-k provements in machines of the type disclosed in my co-pending application for U. S. Letters Patent, Serial #638,822,`entitled Tobacco stemming machine andiiled October 20, 1932;

Animportant objectv of the invention is to prevent dropping of leaves in the leaf feeding mechanism which carries the leaves from the feed table or threshing mechanism to the devices which carry the leaves through the stemmer proper.

' Another'principal object ofthe invention is to provide for more certain and uniform spacing of the tobacco leaves and particularly the stemmed butts thereof as they arebeing oarried'toand through the stemming unit. To this end it is an object. of the. invention to maintain andaugment the vspacing naturally produced'in the buttsof f the leaves as they are threshed or flailed in` the threshing mechanism, it having been found that Vthere is abetter separation at this point than is produced by many of the devicesfintended` for this purpose.V Still another object is to substitute for easily Worn and breakable beltshitherto employedfor this purpose, steel chains which are `more immune to wear and more uniform in action.' Another object of the invention is to utilize chain `structure for producing a better grip on the stem and `for maintaining more securely the spacing of the stems at the receiving end of the leaf feed chains.`

Another object of the invention is to provide `for inclining the stems relative to grippers to Which they aretransferredfor the purpose o f obtaining an optimum position of the stems which are ordinarily pulled diagonally through ythe stemming unit, particularly aposition which will reduce stem breakage andthe number` of'drop leaves. With these and other objects not specifi- Vcally mentioned in View, the invention'consists Ain certain constructions and combinations vvhich Will be hereinafter fully described and then particularly pointed out in the claims' hereunto appended. i

Referring now to thedrawing's in which like characters of reference indicate the same orlike parts: i Y

Fig. 41 is a side elevation of theimproved leaf feed; 1

Fig. 2 is a plan View of the mechanism shown vin Fig. 41; i

Fig. 3`is a detail .nFig' 1;

side elevation of parts shown Fig. liis a detail sectional view onthe line-`44 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is adetail view infront elevation looking toward the stemmingmachine from the-receiving end of the feed chains; I

Fig. 5A is a detail of the feed chains shown in Fig. 1;

Figs. 16, 7 and 8' are detail sectional views" onthe lines '6`-`6, 7-7 and 8 8V respectively; showing positions of leaves at different Ypoints in theffeed vmechanism;

Figs.` 9 and '10 are end elevations partlyV in Vsection, seen from the left lin Fig. l2V and showingi'the delivery en d` ofthe feed mechanism;

Fig. 1l isaside elevation of theparts 'shown'n Figs.9 andlOj y K Fig. l2 is adetail sideelevation of the'chain supporting and guiding mechanism;

Fig. 13 isa sectional'detail viewin end elevation of parts shown in Fig. l2; I V

Fig. 14 is a detail end elevation of'partsjshown in'liig.l2; f

Fig. `15 is a plan` view of the parts shownjfin Fig. V16 isa detailele'vation' of parts shown in Fig. 175; l iFig. llisa detail view in "endelevation ofthe 'mechanismshovv'n in Fig. 16.

In the embodiments herein illustrated, there is provided ina leaf feed forstemming machines, Va Apair 'ofv chains` 'having opposed :stretches for gripping and forwarding leavesbytheir'stems together with means-flor driving and Vguiding said `chains. Said means include mechanism'to'warp saidstretches along their :length Lto receivethe stems vin oneV plane and to "deliver stems ina opposed the spacesV 'between ith'e sprockets of the y other stretch. "In L the best "forms,

:threshing means Vfor. stem` Vbutts are ,pro-

vided together with' means for engaging said butts when" separated bythe threshing vaction for delivering the separateddeavesinto thegrip of said chains.;` The variousmeans ,referred` to 1 may be varied widely in construction Within the scope lof the claims, `for theparticular device selectedto illustrate the inventionis. but oneof many possible concrete embodiments of the same. The invention therefore is not to be restricted to Ythejprecise detailsshown'and described nor yto the'particular embodiments chosenasillustrative of theinvntion.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings, the tobacco leaves L after being spread on a feed belt A by the operator, are passed along between the feed belt A and the thresher belt B through the thresher unit C where the butt ends of the leaves are stripped of the leaf part for a short distance, suicient to provide a portion for gripping by the grippers D on the leaf carrier chain E.

VAs shown in Figs. 3 and 4, as the leaves pass by the thresher unit they are acted upon by the thresher iiails 10 which rotate rapidly in a direction to carry the flails toward the end Vof the leaf butt. It has been found towardthe end of the thresher operation, the stems, due to the action of the ails, are well separated so that there are very few bunches of two or moreV stem butts in a group and this discovery has been taken advantage of by providing spacer Vstar wheels ll-and 12 for maintaining and if desired, augmenting thev stems in substantially horizontal position between two opposed chain stretches which securely grip the leaves between the links thereof and owing to the fact that the chains are warped or twisted ,about their length, approximatelyninety degrees,

these chains at their delivery end, deliver the stems in substantial vertical position with the vbutts thereof within the range of the action of the grippers D, on the endless gripper chain E,

Athe construction and operation of which are fully set -forth in theV co-pending application above referred to. y For the purpose of guiding and supporting these chain stretches asthey carry the leaves, warped bars 16 and 17 are provided having secured thereto a series of sprockets over which said chain stretches run.V

It will be notedy that the sprockets acting on Vthe chain stretch on one side of the stems oppose the V'spaces between sprockets acting on the other side `of the stems. Thus a largestem will cause the chain to yield and follow a slightly sinuous path 4without crushingv orpossibly vbreaking of the 'stems as might'occur if the sprockets were directly opposed. rI his arrangement of the sprockets vprovides for better gripping of small stems when near a large stem. The chainslS and 14 are conventionally rollerchains having link or sider plates'la connected vby pinslSb. These links have raised edges adjacent the pins and depressed edges intermediatethe pins thus presenting a corrugated surface for engagement with the stems which serves to more securely main.v tain the spacing of stems along the chain stretches. It will be noted that the chains .13 and 14 are arranged (Fig. 2) so that the raised portion of the chain links of one stretch oppose thel depressed portions of the other stretch so that although thespace between chains is somewhat sinuous in outline, the distance between the Vchain stretches vat diiferent stantially the same.

points remains sub- AAs shown in Fig. 5 the operating chain stretches of thejchains 1'3 andli are opposed laterally so thatthe side plates of one stretch oppose the pins vor roller intermediate theI side plates of the other stretch thus tending to-pusha portion of the leaf between the said side links and to give the stem a corrugated conformation.' This `provides a much more secure grip on the stem than would result'from opposed smooth or rounded surfaces lever. Vand its opposite end is connected to lever 36 which and is onefactor in reducing the number of drop leaves.

At the delivery end of the chains 13 and 14,

the grippers D travel astride the vertical up standing leaf butts traveling in the same direction at substantially the same speed and before the latter are released from the chains close on the butts as shown in Fig. 10 by the operation of means disclosed in the application above referre to. VA warped guide plate 18 having a twist similar to that of the conveyor chains assists in steering the stem L from horizontal to vertical position into the space between the open grippers D.

Inmachines of this type, the leaves are often carried by grippers Vsuch as grippers D through the stemming unit S on a diagonal path so that for optimum gripping effect and elimination of breakage due to the sharp angle of the stem at the gripper edge, it is desirable to incline the stem buttas it is received bythe grippers. For

13 and le, is provided which'causesthe stem to 1 assume the inclination referred to.

In order to accommodate leaves of stems of varying thicknesses, the guide bars 16 and 17 are ivotaily connected at one end, one at one end and the other at the other end and are springpressed towards each other at the opposite ends as shown in Figs. 12 to 17 inclusive. These surfaces also serveto provide the gripping pressure desired on theV stems.V For this purpose'fthe bar-16 is pivoted at 31 and its opposite end is connected to lever 32 which is pivoted atl33 and forced toward the other bar 17 by the spring VSli acting on said Similarly the guide bar 17V is pivoted at 35 is pivoted at 37 and urged towards lever 32 by a chains 13 and 14 the upper guidebars'l on which chain 13 is mounted rises sufcientiy to accomr40 .spring 38. Thus as thestems'enter between the acted upon by this chain underapresslure produced by the spring 38 so that the stem is at all times gripped under springpressurey,V

VWhat is claimed is:

l. In av tobacco leaf feed, the combination with a pair of [endless travelling chains having opposed stretches, andmeans for supporting and guiding said stretches to gripthesterns of the leaves between them and forward said leaves, said means including mechanism for warping said stretches about their length toreceive the stems in one plane and to deliver said stems ina plane at an angle toV the rstmentioned plane.y I

V2. In a tobacco leaf feed, the combination with a pair Yof endless travelling chainshaving opposed Vstretches, means for Vsupporting and guiding said stretches to grip directly the stems of the leaves between them and forward -said leaves, said means including sets of sprockets over which said chain stretches run, and mechanism acting on said sprockets to resiliently urge one of `said'stretches towards the other.

3. In artobacco leaf feed, the combination with a ypair of chains having opposed stretches for gripping and forwarding tobacco= leaves by their stems,vof means for spacingsaid stems and feeding the spaced stems into the grippffsaid chains, said means including a pair of rotating e star Wheels arranged point to point.

4. In a tobacco leaf feed, the combination with mechanism for threshing the leaf butts, of devices providing continuous' opposed gripping surfaces for forwarding the leaves by their stems, and means engaging the stem butts when separated by the threshing action of said mechanism and delivering the separated leaves into the grip of said devices, said means including a star wheel.

.5. In a leaf feed for tobacco stemming machines, the combination with a pair of endless members having opposed stretches for gripping and forwarding the leaves by their stems, of an endless set of grippers travelling along said members for receiving the stems therefrom, and means for inclining the projecting portions of said stems relative to said grippers to 'cause the same to be gripped at an incline to the -direction of movement of the grppers.

6. In a leaf feed for tobacco stemming machines, the combination with a pair of endless members having opposed stretches for gripping and forwarding the leaves by their stems, of ank endless set of grippers travelling along said members for receiving the stems therefrom, and means for inclining the projecting portions of said stems relative to said grippers to cause the same to be gripped at an incline to the direction of movement of the grippers, said means including mechanism having a stem engaging surface travelling in thesame direction but at a greater speed than saidchains.

7. In a leaf feed for tobacco stemming machines, the combination with a pair of endless members Vhaving opposed stretches for gripping and' forwarding the leaves by their stems, of an endless set of grippers travelling along said members for receiving the stems therefrom, and means for inclining the projecting portions of said stems relative to said grippers to cause the same to be gripped at an incline to the direction of movement of the grippers, and comprising a Wheel having 'a serrated periphery.

8. The combination with a tobacco stemming unit, of an'endless series of grippers for carrying leaves into the range of action of said unit, and means for feeding the tobacco leaves by their stems into said unit comprising a pairrof travelling endless chains having opposed stretches between Which said stems are gripped, means for separating the stems of `the leaves and feeding the separated stems between said chain stretches, and mechanism for warping said chain stretches about their length to deliver the stems in a different plane from that in rwhich they were received from the separating means.

RUPERT E. RUNDELL. 

